Sewing apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for use in sewing tape, particularly elastic tape, in a sewing machine. A single support member is provided to carry tape reels, thread bobbins, and thread tension and guide members. A novel tape supply device can be mounted on the support member. The tape supply device pulls tape from a reel at a rate determined by the rate at which the sewing machine uses the tape. The bobbins are carried on a novel, resilient bobbin holder which prevents thread from getting caught between the holder and bobbin. A novel tape measuring device is also provided which could be mounted in the tape supply device. The measuring device employs two rolls, one of which is soft and envelops a portion of the other roll to prevent tape slippage.

[ 1 Dec. 24, 1974 lished by Union Special Machine Company, 404 N. Inventors: Hendrik Van der Aa; Johan Van der Franklin Street Chlcago 60610 Aa, both of Perrefonds, Quebec, Canada Primary Examiner-John W. Huckert Assistant ExaminerEdward J. McCarthy Asslgnee' Movatex Products Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lawrence 1. Field; Ian

Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Fincham Canada My 1972 57 ABSTRACT App]. No.: 276,860 Apparatus for use in sewing tape, particularly elastic tape, in a sewing machine. A single support member is US. 242/55, 112/l2l.27 provided to carry tape reels, thread bobbins, and Int. B65h 75/02 thread tension and guide members. A novel tape sup- Field of Search 242/55, 68; 1l2/l21.26, ply device can be mounted on the support member. 1 12/137, 121.27, 217.1, 217.2 The tape supply device pulls tape from a reel at a rate determined by the rate at which the sewing machine References Cited uses the tape. The bobbins are carried on a novel, re- UNITED STATES PATENTS silient bobbin holder which prevents thread from getting caught between the holder and bobbin. A novel tape measuring device is also provided which could be mounted in the tape supply device. The measuring de- United States Patent Van der Aa et al.

[ 41 SEWING APPARATUS [22] Filed:

vice employs two rolls, one of which is soft and envelops a portion of the other roll to prevent tape slipe g a D. 663 220 71 2 2 .lll .72222 un 22 2.l1 .'l 21 1 ll l. mmmu mm mom m "n m H mm "k n lmmn k ea CPHFPD 29909 55566 999999 111111 792028 11 696989 590889 9 0 9 44 805720 9 7066 96 00 94 22223 18 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures OTHER PUBLICATIONS The Needles Eye, October 1966, Page 46; pub- W macaw-a sum 1 Bf v PATENTEDBEE24I974 3.855.224

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1 SEWING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to apparatus for use in sewing tape, particularly elastic tape, in a sewing machine.

The invention is generally directed to novel apparatus for carrying a plurality of tape reels, a plurality of thread bobbins, and supplying and guiding the tape and thread from the reels and bobbins to a sewing machine.

2. Description of the Prior Art The sewing of tape, particularly elastic tape, at the.

present time is quite inefficient. The tape is supplied on small reels and mounted or stored on supports on'or about the sewing machine. This creates clutter and also requires frequent tape reel handling. If the small tape reels are not stored on or about the sewing machine, a large stock room is required and traffic between the stock room and sewing area is heavy. The clutter about the sewing machine is added to by having to separately mount a tape feeder, by having separately mount thread bobbins, and by the electrical wires running to the machine and tape feeder.

It is also difficult at the present time to deliver elastic tape to the sewing machine in a relatively tensionless condition and to accurately measure the. amount of tape delivered.

A'further difficulty is the frequency at which the thread, required in sewing the tapes, breaks, because of the manner in which the bobbins are mounted and the thread is guided. Presently used thread guides also make it awkward to thread after breakage or bobbin replacement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the purpose of the present invention to provide apparatus which will make for more effective and efficient tape and thread handling and which will reduce clutter about a tape sewing machine. It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for supplying elastic tape from a reel to a sewing machine in a relatively tensionless condition. Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for accurately measuring tape being supplied.

It is another purpose of the present invention to provide improved thread bobbin holders and thread guides which minimize thread breakage.

The invention, in one embodiment, is directed toward an apparatus which has a vertically extending support member with means movably mounted on the member for supporting a plurality of reels, means on the member for supporting a plurality of thread bobbins, and means on the member for supporting thread quide and tensioning means.

The invention, in another embodiment, is directed toward a tape supply device which has means for withdrawing tape from a reel at a variable rate. The device also has means for guiding the withdrawn tape to the sewing machine and movable means for sensing the amount of tape between the withdrawing means and guide means. Means are controlled by the position of the sensing means for controlling the rate of operation of the withdrawing means.

The invention is also directed toward a tape measuring device which has two freely rotatable rolls with one of the rollsbeing soft to conform to a portion of the periphery of the other roll. Both rolls are wider than the tape passing between the rolls. The other roll actuates a counter upon each revolution.

The tape measuring device can be incorporated in the tape supply device, and both devices, either separately or combined, may be carried on the vertical support member.

The invention is further directed toward a bobbin holder which comprises a base portion and a shaft portion extending from the center of the base portion. The upper surface of the base portion is concave and at least the base portion is made of resilient material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in detail having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of the apparatus, used in tape sewing,

mounted on a sewing machine;

FIG. 2 is a view of the tape supplying means;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a detail of the tape sensing member in the tape supplying means;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the tape measuring means;

FIG. 5 is a further detail view of the tape measuring means;

FIG. 6 is a view of the electical circuit for the tape supplying and measuring means; FIG. 7 is a detail of the tape reel mounting means indexing mechanism; FIG. 8 is a detail of the thread bobbin holder; and FIG. 9 is a detail of the thread guide and tensioning member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The apparatus 1, used in sewing tape 3 with thread 5 to fabric (not shown) in a sewing machine 7, has a vertical support member 9. The support member 9 preferably comprises a tubular member 11, such as a cylindrical pipe. The tubular member 11 can be employed to carry electrical wiring 13 from an overhead feed to beneath a work table 15 mounting the sewing machine. The member 11 is mounted on the work table 15 behind the sewing machine by a flange plate 17 and bolts 19.

The tubular member 11 carries tape reel mounting means 21 at its upper end. The mounting means 21 comprises a cylindrical collar 23, rotatably mounted on tubular member 11, and a plurality of arms 25 extending radially from the collar. Preferably, four arms, equally spaced from each other, are provided. The collar' 23 is maintained in position on member 11 by a sleeve 27 held on member 11 by a pin 29, as shown in FIG. 7.

Each arm 25 can carry a reel 31 of tape. The reels 31 are held on the arms by suitable locking means (not shown) at the ends of the arms. The reels 31 used can be much larger than those normally used since the mounting means 21 are above the work area, out of the way, and since the reels are arranged radially. The use of larger tape reels reduces the number of reel changes and storage space required.

To facilitate changing the tape feed to a different reel when a different colour tape, for example, is required for the next sewing operation, an indexing mechanism can be provided on the mounting means 21. The indexing mechanism, as shown in FIG. 7, can comprise a ball 32 through a hole 34 in sleeve 27. The ball 32 cooperates with one of four equally spaced-apart depressions 35 formed in the bottom surface of collar 23 to lightly lock the collar in place when the tape reel, corresponding to the one depression, is selected.

If desired, a number of signal lights 37, corresponding in number to the number of arms 25, can be mounted on the top of the tubular member 11. The lights, actuated by suitable manual or automatic switches, can be used to signal an empty reel. When a reel becomes empty, the light corresponding to that reel, selected either by reel position or tape colour on the reel, is switched on to provide a visible signal to the stockman that a fresh tape reel is needed at that sewing machine. The lights 37 can be operated by power taken from the sewing machine motor or by providing a transformer tostep down line voltage, as shown in FIG. 6.

While only one tape reel mounting means 21 has been shown, two or more such mounting means can be carried on member 11, one above the other with sufficient vertical clearance between them to accommodate the reels.

The tubular member 11 carries thread bobbin supporting means 41. These means include a rod 43, attached at one end to tubular member 11 below mounting means 21. The rod 43 is bent to pass around the back and right side of the sewing machine. Mounted on the rod 43 are a plurality of spaced-apart bobbin holders 45.

Each bobbin holder 45 comprises a circular base portion 47 and a shaft portion 49 extending up from the center of the base portion 47. As shown in FIG. 8, the upper surface 51 of the base portion is concave. The bottom surface 53 can be made convex. Surfaces 51, 53 provide a base portion 47 which is dished and which has a narrow rim 55. The base and. if desired, the shaft,

are made of a suitable soft resilient material so that when the base portion 47 is pushed down, especially near its rim 55, as shown by the full lines in FIG. 8, it exhibits a tendency to return to its original shape shown by the dotted lines. The bobbin holder 45 includes a central rigid mounting pin 57, partly embedded in the base and shaft portions, and having a threaded projecting end 59 which can pass through hole 61 in rod 43. The holder 45 is fixed to rod 43 by screwing a nut 63 on threaded end 59.

The bobbin 65 carried on each bobbin holder 45 includes a cone 66 of thread wound on a support 67. A groove 69 may be provided in the base portion 47 adjacent shaft portion 49 to receive the lower end 69 of the conical support 67.

The upper surface 51 of the base portion is large enough and dished enough to carry the bobbin 65 by the outer edge 71 of thread cone 66. The weight of the bobbin 65, pressing down on edge 71 against holder 45 at or near its rim 55, provides a tight fit about circular edge 71. This tight fit prevents the thread, being unwound from the bobbin, from slipping under it, where it could jam and possibly break.

A vertical storage rod 73 can extend from rod 43 to store additional bobbins 65.

Mounted on the tubular member 11 above the bobbin supporting means 41, and above the sewing machine, are thread guide and tension means 81, as shown in FIG. 1. These guide and tension means 81 include a support rod 83 attached at one end to tubular member 11. The rod 83 is bent to extend around the sewing machine in a similar fashion as rod 43. The rod 83 carries a plurality of spaced-apart thread guide and tension members 85. Each member, as shown in FIG. 9, comprises a length of wire bent to have a series of peaks 87 and valleys 89, all lying in substantially the same plane. One end 91 of the wire is passed through a hold 93 on rod 83 and hooked about the rod.

The guide and tension members are simple in construction, reduce thread breakage, and are easy to thread and to change thread tension. The thread is first passed through loop 86, and the thread tension is simply adjusted by varying the number of peaks 87 that the thread is passed around before passing to the sewing machine.

The support member 11 also carries a tape supply device 101. The tape supply device 101 is mounted on member 11, below the tape reel mounting means 21 and above the sewing machine 7 by suitable bracket means 103. The tape supply device includes means for withdrawing tape 3 from a supply reel. The tape withdrawal means comprise a first drive roller 113 and a second follower roller 115. Roller 115 is biased against drive roller 113 to form a nip through which the tape is pulled. Both rollers are mounted on the outside of one side of enclosure 117. Drive roller 113 is mounted on a drive shaft 119, as shown in FIG. 2, which in turn is mounted in suitable bearings in enclosure 117. Drive shaft 119 carries a gear 121. The second roller 115 is supported by arms 127, 129 mounted on shaft 131 which is carried by enclosure 117. A spring 132 can be mounted on shaft 131 to bias roller 115 against roller 113.

The tape supply device 101 also has tape guide means which can comprise a slotted bar 133 slidably mounted outside the one side of enclosure 117 by adjustable, threaded, guide screws 134. The bar 133 carries a guide roller 135 at its end which projects from the enclosure. The bar can be adjusted to locate the roller 135 in a position to feed the tape to the front of the sewing machine.

Means are provided between the tape withdrawing means and the guide means to sense the amount of tape between the withdrawing and guide means. This effectively senses the rate at which the tape is being used by the sewing machine. The sensing means is located between rollers 113, 115 and guide roller 135, and includes an arm 137, having a slot 139 at the bottom through which the tape passes. The slot 139 is normally located below a line joining rollers 113, 135 between which rollers the tape relaxes to form a loop. Arm 137 is suspended from a freely rotatable shaft 141 mounted in enclosure 117. The shaft 141 is connected to a speed control unit 143 which in turn varies the speed of a variable speed motor 145, as shown in 'FIG. 6. Motor 145 in turn drives a shaft 146 which carries a worm 147 -meshing with gear 121 on shaft 119.

In operation, tape is beingdrawn over guide roller by the feed dog of the sewing machine. This shortens the tape loop 148 between rollers 113 and 135. As the loop is shortened, arm 137 is pulled up counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1. This causes shaft 141 to rotate, operating the speed control unit 143 to increase the speed of motor to drive roller 113 faster. This pulls tape off the reel 31 more quickly to maintain loop 148. If the sewing machine slows down, arm 137 drops clockwise causing roller 113 to slow down.

To provide additional control, a cam 151 is mounted on shaft 141 to cooperate with a switch 153 to shut off motor 145. The cam 151 is shaped to have two off" positions 155, 157, as shown in FIG. 3. off position 155 is reached when arm 137 hangs substantially perpendicularly. Off position 157 is reached when arm 137 is nearly horizontal. When arm 137 drops to a nearly perpendicular position, as occurs when the sewing machine is not operating while drive roller 115 is, cam 151 leaves switch 153 at position 155, causing it to operate to turn motor 143 off. When the sewing machine operates quickly to reduce loop 148 and arm 137 swings nearly horizontal, as a result of tape jamming in the reel 31, cam 151 leaves switch 153 at position 157 causing 'it to turn the motor off to prevent it from burning out. A tape measuring device 161 can be used to accurately measure the tape being used, particularly elastic tape. The device 161 can be incorporated in the tape supply device 101 between arm 137 and guide roller 135. The device includes two freely rotatable rollers 163, 165. Roller 163 is a rigid measuring roll while roller 165 is a soft sponge or air-filled roller which conforms to a portion of the periphery of roller 163. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, roller 165 is eccentrically mounted in the one side of enclosure 117. The mounting of roller 165 can be changed relative to roller 163 to have it press thereagainst with a pressure which prevents the tape, being drawn through the rollers, from slipping, relative to the rollers. In addition, the rollers 163, 165 are much wider than tape 5, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, rollers 163, 165 always maintain contact to provide accurate measurement. The roller 165 has a shaft 167 which is eccentric to a shaft 169 mounted in a boss 171. The shaft 169 is locked in the desired eccentric position by a pin 173.

Roller 163 is mounted on a shaft which carries a cam 177 for actuating a switch 179 during each revolution. The switch 179 operates a counter 181 which provides a measure of the amount of tape supplied. If, for example, the roller 163 has a circumference of one foot, the counter 181 would indicate the number of feet of tape used.

The tape supply device 101 includes a switch 191 and a light 193 signaling when it is on.

While the tape supply device 101, measuring device 161 and bobbin holder 45 have been described in combination with the tape supply means 21, it is obvious that each of these devices can be used separately and independently of one another. I

We claim:

1. Apparatus suitable for use in sewing tapes to fabric with thread in a sewing machine, the apparatus comprising a substantially vertically extending support member, mounting means on the member for mounting at least one rotatable collar, a plurality of arms extending radially from said collar for carrying tape reels,

means for indexing said collar, means on the member- 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support member is tubular.

5. An apparatus suitable for use in sewing tapes to fabric with thread in a sewing machine, the apparatus comprising a substantially vertically extending support member, means on the member for supporting a plurality of tape reels, means on the member for supporting a plurality of thread bobbins, means of the member for supporting thread tensioning and quide means, tape supply means mounted on the support member, said tape supply means having means for withdrawing tape from one of the reels at a variable rate, means for guiding withdrawn tape to the sewing machine, movable means for sensing the amount of tape between the withdrawing means and guide means, and means controlled by the position of the sensing means for controlling the rate of operation of the withdrawing means.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, including means on the tape supply means for measuring the amount of tape guided to the sewing machine.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bobbin holders each comprise a base portion and a shaft portionextending from the center of the base portion, the upper surface of the base portion being concave, and at least the base portion made of resilient material.

8. Apparatus for use in supplying tape from a reel to a sewing machine comprising means for withdrawing tape from the reel at a variable rate, means for guiding withdrawn tape to the sewing machine, movable means for sensing the amount of tape between the withdrawing means and guide means, and means controlled by the position of the sensing means for controlling the rate of operation of the withdrawing means.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the movable sensing means comprises an arm, suspended from a rotatable shaft, and means on the arm, spaced from the shaft, for guiding the tape.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the means controlled by the position of the sensing means comprises a variable speed motor and a speed control for the motor, the shaft operating the speed control to vary the speed of the motor which drives the withdrawal means.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, including cam means on the shaft cooperating with a motor switch to shut the motor off when the arm is in either of two positions indicating too much or too little tape between the withdrawing and guide means.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tape supply means includes means indicating when one of the tape reels is empty.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tape measurement means comprises first and second rotatable generally cylindrical'rollers, said first roller number of complete revolutions of said first roller.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said shaft carries a cam, said cam actuating a counter during each revolution thereof.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first roller has a circumference of one foot.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second roller is movable relative to said first roller in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis thereof.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, additionally comprising tape controlling means, said tape controlling means adapted to operate in conjunction with said tape sensing means, said tape controlling means adapted to speed up or reduce the supply of tape between said tape withdrawal means and said guiding means in response to said tape sensing means. 

1. Apparatus suitable for use in sewing tapes to fabric with thread in a sewing machine, the apparatus comprising a substantially vertically extending support member, mounting means on the member for mounting at least one rotatable collar, a plurality of arms extending radially from said collar for carrying tape reels, means for indexing said collar, means on the member for supporting a plurality of thread bobbins, and means on the member for supporting thread tensioning and guide means.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for supporting thread bobbins comprises at least one support arm extending from the support member, and a plurality of bobbin holders on the arm.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means on the member for supporting thread tensioning and guide means comprise at least one support arm, the guide and tensioning means comprising a plurality of bent wire members spaced apart along the support arm.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support member is tubular.
 5. An apparatus suitable for use in sewing tapes to fabric with thread in a sewing machine, the apparatus comprising a substantially vertically extending support member, means on the member for supporting a plurality of tape reels, means on the member for supporting a plurality of thread bobbins, means of the member for supporting thread tensioning and quide means, tape supply means mounted on the support member, said tape supply means having means for withdrawing tape from one of the reels at a variable rate, means for guiding withdrawn tape to the sewing machine, movable means for sensing the amount of tape between the withdrawing means and guide means, and means controlled by the position of the sensing means for controlling the rate of operation of the withdrawing means.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, including means on the tape supply means for measuring the amount of tape guided to the sewing machine.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bobbin holders each comprise a base portion and a shaft portion extending from the center of the base portion, the upper Surface of the base portion being concave, and at least the base portion made of resilient material.
 8. Apparatus for use in supplying tape from a reel to a sewing machine comprising means for withdrawing tape from the reel at a variable rate, means for guiding withdrawn tape to the sewing machine, movable means for sensing the amount of tape between the withdrawing means and guide means, and means controlled by the position of the sensing means for controlling the rate of operation of the withdrawing means.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the movable sensing means comprises an arm, suspended from a rotatable shaft, and means on the arm, spaced from the shaft, for guiding the tape.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the means controlled by the position of the sensing means comprises a variable speed motor and a speed control for the motor, the shaft operating the speed control to vary the speed of the motor which drives the withdrawal means.
 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, including cam means on the shaft cooperating with a motor switch to shut the motor off when the arm is in either of two positions indicating too much or too little tape between the withdrawing and guide means.
 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tape supply means includes means indicating when one of the tape reels is empty.
 13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tape measurement means comprises first and second rotatable generally cylindrical rollers, said first roller having an outwardly facing surface of a relatively non-deformable nature, said second roller having an outwardly facing surface of a relatively deformable nature, said first and second rotatable rollers being mounted on first and second shafts respectively, said first and second rollers being mounted so that said outwardly facing surfaces of said rollers are in continuous contact.
 14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said first shaft of said first roller is adapted to indicate the number of complete revolutions of said first roller.
 15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said shaft carries a cam, said cam actuating a counter during each revolution thereof.
 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first roller has a circumference of one foot.
 17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second roller is movable relative to said first roller in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis thereof.
 18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, additionally comprising tape controlling means, said tape controlling means adapted to operate in conjunction with said tape sensing means, said tape controlling means adapted to speed up or reduce the supply of tape between said tape withdrawal means and said guiding means in response to said tape sensing means. 